The demand for digital marketers in Hong Kong is growing at such a rate that there are more jobs than people with the necessary skills to fill them. This is making way for a new kind of entrepreneur, the freelance digital marketer.
There are a plethora of possibilities emerging in this field for those who are willing to dive in feet first. It is a fast-paced game with ever-changing rules giving the advantage to those that are able to stay on top of the changes and keep up with the pace.
As it becomes more difficult for companies to hire in-house digital marketing managers, especially in Hong Kong, and the demand for digital marketing services continues to rise—companies are being forced to outsource. If you can position yourself as an expert in even just one of the areas that need to be outsourced, it can be all you need to begin a rewarding career freelancing as a digital marketing manager. A good starting point is to take a digital marketing course.
One of the benefits of this type of work is that it gives you the freedom and flexibility to work from virtually anywhere in the world with an internet connection.
What does a Digital Marketing Manager Do? (And Why Are They so Hard to Come By?)
A digital marketing manager is the person responsible for developing and implementing a company's online marketing strategy. This includes tasks such as:
Developing and managing marketing campaigns
Branding and enhancing brand recognition
Social media management
Content marketing
SEO
PPC
Customer acquisition
Driving website traffic
This is such a new and fast-paced industry; there just aren't enough qualified professionals to meet the demand. Digital marketing managers have so many aspects that make up the day-to-day requirements of their job, that in order to fill the gap between need versus availability, savvy freelancers are honing in on what they are good at and getting paid for it.
Lena Elkins, a freelancer who coaches millennials on creating successful businesses, encourages her clients to figure out what they are good at, and then focus on that. This is great advice if you are considering making a move toward freelance digital marketing.
As companies are forced to outsource to freelancers, this provides a unique opportunity for freelancers to narrow their speciality. You can learn from the experts to know the different tasks you may have to deal with, thus finding out which skills you are more interested in developing.
What Services Can I Offer as a Freelance Digital Marketer?
In the world of digital marketing, you are in the business of offering value. This requires a mind-shift.
It’s a hard habit to break, but the question needs to be more client focused. Not what can you do, but how can you help?
As a freelance digital marketer, you have to sell yourself by showing the client how you and your services are valuable to them.
Specific Areas of Focus for Freelance Digital Marketers
Facebook Ad Management
Some businesses base their entire marketing strategy on Facebook Ads because it is a powerful tool. It can be intimidating to the uninitiated, but a master of this craft has unlimited potential to attract clients.
Google AdWords
Running and maintaining Google Ads campaigns for clients and showing them that you can use this tool to increase their revenue.
Google has an extensive amount of information and tools to get you started.
Social Media Management
Are you a social media butterfly? Can you post relevant, exciting and value-driven content across multiple mediums several times a day? Then someone needs you.
Handling social media accounts requires you to be a quick thinker. You must stay connected throughout the day and be ready to respond when your client's potential customers have something to say.
Content Marketing
Writing relevant, value-driven content using keywords. It is an in-demand skill as more companies recognize the importance of providing value.
If you have a way with words and can write knowledgeably on things you know nothing about, this is a lucrative service that can earn you a great freelancing income. You can set your own rates based on your experience and skill. But starting out, you can expect to make about .02 to .05 cents per word.
When you want to break into this field working for a content mill, it is a great way to quickly gain experience in a multitude of areas. This can help you get an idea of what kind of clients you want to offer your services to as you build your own freelancing business.
SEO Management
Search engine optimisation is not going out of style anytime soon. Organic rankings in search engines are one of the most powerful tools in the digital marketing tool belt, and mastering search engine algorithms will make you an asset to any business with an online presence.
PPC
Pay-per-click is a mystery to some, and a headache to others. If you have mastery of this art, you will have no trouble finding businesses in need of your services. The benefit to this is that since the client only pays when it works, you are able to quickly show your value with data-driven results.
Salary Expectations and Job Outlook
The demand for digital marketers is growing at such a rate that there are more jobs than people with the necessary skills to fill them. This is making way for a new kind of entrepreneur, the freelance digital marketer.
There are a plethora of possibilities emerging in this field for those who are willing to dive in feet first. It is a fast-paced game with ever-changing rules giving the advantage to those that are able to stay on top of the changes and keep up with the pace.
As it becomes more difficult for companies to hire in-house digital marketing managers, and the demand for digital marketing services continues to rise—companies are being forced to outsource. If you can position yourself as an expert in even just one of the areas that need to be outsourced, it can be all you need to begin a rewarding career freelancing as a digital marketing manager.
One of the benefits of this type of work is that it gives you the freedom and flexibility to work from virtually anywhere in the world with an internet connection.
Take your first step today and learn how you can become a certified digital marketing professional with us!
Source: Digital Marketing Institute